This invention relates to apparatus and methods for manipulating and centering wafers or wafer-like objects and for centering and placing wafers or wafer-like objects upon machine parts.
Many manufacturing processes involve the manipulation and processing of wafer such as discs or wafer-like objects constructed of metal or metallic composites, carbon, plastic, wood, artificial and/or natural substrates, etc. In order to properly process, machine or act upon wafers, it is often important to center them in relation to a machine part. Most centering devices are very expensive and exceedingly difficult to construct. Because many businesses either cannot afford or desire to afford expensive centering equipment, the need for certain new and useful improvements in the art is evident.
Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to provide new and improved apparatus and methods for centering and placing wafers upon a machine part.
It is a purpose of the invention to provide new and improved apparatus that are easy to construct and inexpensive.
It is another purpose of the invention to provide new and improved apparatus that may be employed across a wide spectrum of technical disciplines.
It is still another purpose of the invention to provide an easy, inexpensive and highly accurate method of centering wafers in relation to a machine part.
It is a further provision of the invention to decrease the high costs normally associated with manufacturing, processing and machining wafers.
The above problems and others are at least partially solved and the above purposes and others realized in new and improved apparatus and methods for centering and placing wafers upon a machine part. In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides apparatus for manipulating wafers comprising a fixture including terraced, concentrically arranged seats having diameters centered about a common axis extending through an opening of the fixture. The diameters of the seats are different from one another. Each seat is capable of receiving and supporting in a seated condition a wafer having a diameter that is centered substantially about a central axis, the diameter of the wafer being substantially equal to the diameter of the given seat. An element is mounted for reciprocal movement in opposition to the fixture along an element axis between a retracted condition and an extended condition into the opening for engaging a wafer held by the fixture in the seated condition and removing the wafer from the fixture. The central axis of a wafer when held by the fixture in the seated condition, the common axis and the element axis are substantially coincident. Each seat is substantially continuous, and the diameter of each seat is defined by one of a plurality of substantially continuous sidewalls of the fixture. In a particular embodiment, the fixture is supported and movable by a framework between first and second positions for rendering substantially coincident the fixture and element axes. A gap severs the fixture, which allows the element to pass through the fixture for permitting movement of the fixture between the first and second positions. The gap communicates with the opening.
Consistent with the foregoing, associated methods may also be provided.